Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Exercise to Enhance More Than Just Physical Fitness

When the word exercise comes to mind most of the general public conjures up the idea of working out to feel better, look stronger, and be fit.We have long known that exercise does much more than just help change our physique but also helps improve our mental capabilities.It is common knowledge that exercise releases endorphins, helping us feel better mentally.It was once thought that this was solely due to increased blood flow to the brain, increasing the oxygen available for the brain tissue.New research is now showing how exercise can truly increase our mental capacity.

To lay the ground work we must know that in our brains there are dormant stem cells that are waiting to be “woken-up” and stimulated forming new connections between different parts of our brains.These new connections help us learn new pieces of knowledge, new movements, and boost our memory.

The science behind this lies in a substance known as bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) which builds up in our brains.This BMP is important for many bodily functions, “but as we get older, higher counts of BMP accumulate in the brain and keep our neural stem cells asleep. This is where exercise comes in. Within one week of being given an exercise wheel, mice showed half as much BMP signaling in their brains.”1This new research gives us tangible evidence that exercise can help increase our memory, abstract reasoning, and learning ability.

This new research shows us that it is more important than ever to begin a regular workout routine.Be sure to contact our certified personal trainers at Hayashida and Associates to begin a safe and efficient program.